Abstract

This study aimed to examine how lesbian mothers deal with their 5–9-year-old
children’s growing realizations about the unusual nature of their family. Using standardized
interviews with 38 mothers, the study examined how open lesbian mothers are with their
children and others about their sexual orientation and about the child’s conception, where this
was by donor insemination (DI). The study also looked at how much the children seemed to
understand and how the knowledge may have affected them. Half of the 38 children were
fully aware of their mother’s sexual orientation and only two were completely unaware. The
majority of children developed awareness gradually, rather than being told. No children
reacted negatively to finding out. Comparisons with earlier studies suggest these children have
a greater awareness than their counterparts from 30 years ago. Ten children had been
conceived by DI while the remainder were conceived in heterosexual relationships with the
mother later identifying as lesbian. All DI mothers had told (n~9) or planned to tell (n~1)
their children about their conception.